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Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It had been a week since she’d last seen him, and the worry gnawed at Happy. Each day, she found herself glancing toward the library door, waiting for him to walk through with that quiet, familiar presence. But each day, he didn’t come, and the absence felt sharper, almost painful. She realized, in a pang of frustration, that she’d been so wrapped up in their time together that she hadn’t thought to ask for his number, or even if he had one. They’d always focused on books, on each other’s thoughts—but she’d never ventured into his world.

As she sat by the library window, she remembered the odd path he always took, emerging from the dense trees that lined the edge of town. She didn’t know anyone who lived out there, in the shadows of those thick woods. Her curiosity grew, pushing aside her hesitation. What if he was in trouble? What if he needed her?

Determined, Happy made a decision. For the first time in years, she would leave the sanctuary of her library, venturing out on a quest to find him. She wrapped herself in a raincoat, grabbed a red umbrella, locked up the library, and took a deep breath, stepping out into the night. The air was damp, thick with the scent of rain and earth as she entered the woods.

The path was faint, barely visible among the dense greenery, but it was there—a line worn by frequent steps. This was his path. She felt a shiver of excitement and nervousness as she followed it, her heart pounding with each step as the trees closed in around her. The forest was darker, quieter than she’d expected, and each rustling leaf sent a twinge of doubt into her mind. But the thought of Dominik, alone and possibly hurt, kept her moving forward.

After about thirty minutes of walking, a faint light appeared through the trees. Relief washed over her. She was close. Her pace quickened, and finally, she stepped into a small clearing, staring up in awe at the mansion that loomed before her. She hadn’t expected this—such a grand, dark house hidden away in the middle of nowhere. She wondered, stunned, how someone so quiet, so unassuming, could live in a place like this.

Her exhaustion made her hesitant, but she forced herself forward, steeling her resolve. She walked up to the massive front door, her heart hammering as she lifted her hand to knock. Once. Twice. Three times. She waited, each second stretching out in the silence.

No answer.

She knocked again, a little louder, but still, the only sound was the echo of her own heartbeat. Just as she was about to turn away, she saw a shadow moving inside, slowly making its way toward the door. Her breath hitched, and she gripped the umbrella tightly, bracing herself.

Finally, the door opened, and there he was. Dominik. He stood in the doorway, his face shadowed, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked at her. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, caught in the quiet intensity of the moment. He looked different, somehow—haunted, tired. But as his gaze softened, she saw the same warmth she’d always found in him.

“Happy,” he murmured, her name falling from his lips like a quiet confession. There was a trace of disbelief, a hint of something unspoken.

Without thinking, she took a step closer. “Dominik… you just disappeared. I was worried. I didn’t know how to reach you.”

He closed his eyes briefly, a heavy sigh escaping him. “I… I didn’t mean to worry you. Things have… happened. Complicated things.”

She could see the turmoil in his eyes, the weight of something that he hadn’t shared with her. But instead of pressing, she simply looked at him, her hand reaching out to rest gently on his arm. “I don’t need to know everything,” she whispered, “I just… I just didn’t want you to feel like you were alone.”

Her words seemed to reach him, his guarded expression softening as he gazed down at her. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction. “It’s not safe.”

“I’m here now,” she replied, her voice steady. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

For a long moment, they stood in the quiet of the night, the only sound the gentle patter of raindrops on the leaves around them. And for the first time in a long while, Dominik felt a flicker of something he hadn’t dared to feel—a glimmer of hope. He didn’t know if he could keep her safe, or if he even deserved her trust, but in that moment, he didn’t want to let go.

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